Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Alfredo Morocho was arraigned today on an indictment accusing him of recruiting a 17-year-old girl to have sex with strangers for his own profit, advertising her availability using semi-nude photos, and driving the victim to dates with customers.

District Attorney Katz said: “No child should ever be exploited. The underage victim in this case was preyed upon for financial gain. The defendant is also accused of having sex with the victim himself. I have dedicated significant resources to supporting those impacted by sex trafficking and to hold accountable those who manipulate and take advantage of other people’s vulnerabilities. We will not relent in the fight against this dehumanizing industry.”

Morocho, 37, of 110^th Street in Corona, was arraigned on a nine-count indictment charging him with two counts of sex trafficking of a child, five counts of promoting prostitution in the second and third degrees and two counts of patronizing a person in prostitution in the third degree.

Morocho faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Judge Peter F. Vallone Jr. ordered the defendant to return to court on May 8.

Morocho was also charged in a criminal complaint with bail jumping in the second degree after failing to appear in court after a 2018 arrest.

According to the charges in the indictment:

• In November 2023, the defendant met the 17-year-old victim at a deli in Jamaica and asked her and her friends if they wanted a job.

 

• The victim informed Morocho that she was underage, to which the defendant responded that he could get her a job in prostitution and that he had customers.

 

• Morocho later asked for semi-nude photos of the victim to send to customers.

 

• Between December 1 and March 5, Morocho picked the victim up at her migrant shelter and drove her to an apartment near 43-18 108^th Street in Corona and to other locations to engage in sex for money.

 

• Morocho would keep all the cash after the encounters and give the victim half at the end of the day.

 

• In addition to profiting from her prostitution, Morocho paid for sex with the victim between November and March.

 

• On March 6, Morocho drove the victim to the Renaissance New York Flushing Hotel at Tangram. Upon arriving, Morocho met with an undercover officer to negotiate the price of sex with the victim and was placed under arrest shortly thereafter.

 

• Morocho was in possession of a business card advertising “in-calls” with a phone number linked to hundreds of online prostitution advertisements.

The sex trafficking investigation was conducted by Detective Michael McGovern and Detective Kevin Deleon of the New York City Police Department Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Kevin Kavanagh, Lieutenant Amy Capogna, Captain Thomas Milano and under the overall supervision of Chief Carlos Ortiz.

Assistant District Attorney Marina Arshakyan and Assistant District Attorney Kiran Cheema, Supervisor, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Bureau are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jessica Melton, Bureau Chief, and Tara DiGregorio, Deputy Bureau Chief and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.